In Our Backyard

The “In Our Backyard” exhibition features the fine art photography of Zenobia Southcombe, from Dwindle River Studio in Palmerston, North Otago. Hosted at the South Canterbury Museum’s Perth St building, the exhibition focuses on capturing the magic and hidden details of wildlife found throughout North Otago and South Canterbury, New Zealand.

Southcombe's inspiration for the collection stemmed significantly from her experiences during lockdown in 2019, where her garden became her primary photographic subject. This led her to observe and capture the intricate beauty of local nature, including dragonflies and butterflies, through a closer lens. Her work often utilizes various photographic methods, including the historical cyanotype printing process, which uses sun exposure to create distinctive Prussian blue images. A notable piece highlighted is “Night Wanderer,” an image of a leaf-veined slug created using the cyanotype method.

This exhibition holds particular significance as it is the final temporary show to be held at the South Canterbury Museum’s Perth St location before the building closes in mid-July 2026 to facilitate preparation for the museum's new premises in Barnard St.